Dining out in New York City has become increasingly challenging, with countless food enthusiasts struggling to secure reservations at the most sought-after restaurants. Over the past three years, the difficulty of obtaining a table at the city’s hottest venues has escalated significantly.
Joel Montaniel, CEO of the reservation platform Sevenrooms, recently shared insights into the situation during a conversation with Bloomberg. He noted that certain restaurants are nearly impossible to access, even stating, “I’ve spoken with restaurateurs on panels, and when asked for tips on securing reservations, they admitted they didn’t have any.”
The competition for dinner reservations has reached a new level of intensity. In response, New York’s state legislature recently voted to prohibit third-party booking platforms, such as Appointment Trader, which allowed users to sell their restaurant slots for inflated prices, similar to the scalping of concert tickets.
Melissa Fleischut, President and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, hailed the legislation as a significant win for the hospitality sector. She stated that it would lessen competition for reservations and offer protection to restaurants against costly cancellations.
Despite these legislative changes, the underlying issue remains: the appetite for upscale dining and trendy experiences continues to exceed their availability. Travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India remarked on the post-COVID landscape, saying, “Everything is booked up — every plane, every restaurant, and every hotel.”
India, who has spent 16 years running Sienna Charles, a luxury concierge and travel planning service catering to high-net-worth families, understands this arena well. Her clientele often includes those with fortunes exceeding $100 million, including notable figures like George W. Bush and Mariah Carey.
However, even with her extensive experience, India emphasizes that securing a table at the most popular venues often revolves around two key factors: discerning what clients desire and cultivating strong relationships with restaurant establishments.
She observed a shift in dining preferences over the past few years, noting, “People have really moved away from fine dining; very rarely do we have clients interested in tasting menus.” Instead, diners are gravitating toward trendy establishments where the experience is less about the cuisine and more about the prestige of being able to claim they dined there.
For those eager to secure their own coveted reservations and willing to be tenacious in their pursuit, Sienna Charles has identified which New York restaurants are currently the most difficult to book.